


destination, destiny and definition

by panicparade



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 25 Days of Harry and Draco 2020, Blind Date, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Shopping, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Inspired by a Bangtan Boys | BTS Song, Kid Fic, M/M, Ministry of Magic Employee Harry Potter, Non-Graphic Smut, Pets, Post-War, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Snow, bath bombs, traditional prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:48:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 17,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27824773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panicparade/pseuds/panicparade
Summary: It all starts with a blind date and a very confused Harry Potter.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom/Blaise Zabini
Comments: 245
Kudos: 235
Collections: 25 Days of Draco and Harry 2020





	1. i.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and Welcome! I'm so excited to attempt another Annual 25 Days of Drarry Challenge! 
> 
> To be completely honest I don't know where this fic is going yet, the daily prompts will be guiding the direction this takes. The _only_ thing I can guarantee is that there will be **fluff** and there will be a **happy ending**. Any warning for a chapter will be mentioned at the start, please also keep an eye on the tags for any changes. Most days I unfortunately won't have time to re-read so there might be slight errors here and there. 
> 
> Please check out the rest of the wonderful fics in the collection. If you'd like, you can find [my story for the 25 days of Drarry 2015 Challenge here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5334008/chapters/12316157). 
> 
> Title is from [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaTSLGgs5-I). Thank you for reading! ♥

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's late for his blind date and he would never have guessed who he'd end up meeting.

> _“Harry,_
> 
> _Your date will be waiting for you at the park, 4pm. ** _Don’t_** be late. Wear the sweater Ginny got you for your birthday, it brings out the colour in your eyes. _
> 
> _Love, Hermione_
> 
> _P.S. I have a good feeling about this one!”_

Harry can feel Hermione’s letter glaring at him from his personal notice board where he’d distractedly tacked it on yesterday. Pinned on between an old map of London and a month old pile of bills he needs to get reimbursed, he had placed it hoping that having it front and centre would make sure he doesn't forget. 

It was definitely working. 

He knows he’s cutting it close, the hour inching closer to four faster than he’d prefer. He also knows if he puts this report off for tomorrow, he’ll regret it even more than having to listen to Hermione berate him for keeping his date waiting. Besides, it's not the first blind date she's set him up on and going by his success rate so far he has a feeling it won't be the last.

They've definitely increased in frequency over the past year, she's gone from owning him about once a month to bringing it up at every other weekly dinner. Given the fact that he has yet to go beyond the first date with any of her picks he has a feeling it's become a bit of a personal challenge for her. He's okay going along with it for the most part, it's not like he's made much progress through his own efforts on the relationship front. 

With a satisfying swoop he signs his name at the bottom and drops the quill. Massaging the ache in his wrist he leans back in a stretch that makes his chair squeak. Managing to get the scroll rolled and sent off with the nearest Ministry owl in a matter of minutes he quickly grabs his things, cursing when he tips over the now-dry plant he'd bought on a whim to brighten up the space. With only five minutes to spare he rushes to the lifts, sending a silent prayer to whoever is listening when he’s able to get onto the first one that stops on his level. 

The park isn’t far from the Ministry office he works out of, the auxiliary departments spread across the city and connected to the main location through a cleverly designed system of Floo’s and what look like comfier versions of the Gringott’s carts. It had been a move deemed necessary after the war as the Ministry expanded, with departments growing the old location had started getting a little cramped.

Thankfully the sidewalk is considerably less crowded, making it easy for him to sprint to the end of the street and into the park. Even though it’s still too bright out for the holiday decorations to be on, there are people strolling along the paths, the sound of children playing can be heard from all the way across the park. 

He turns left, the fresh layer of snow crunching under his boots. Hermione had mentioned his date would be along the central path that runs clear across the park. Harry frowns as he recalls how oddly secretive she had been about the date, forgoing her usual detailed brief for a cryptic, “You’ll see.” All he had to go on was that this mysterious man would be in a blue wool coat. 

Even as he keeps a lookout for his date, Harry slows down a little to enjoy the walk. It’s been a while since he’s managed to take some time out in the middle of the day to go for a stroll. The Department of International Magical Cooperation had really expanded after the War, setting up sub-departments to strengthen ties with magical communities across the globe. When Harry had joined the Forgien Relations team, it was just him and two others trying to set up some semblance of structure. As they’d started stationing diplomats in partnering countries, the staff size had grown tenfold and so had Harry’s workload. 

Lost in thought Harry almost misses the person seated four benches down the path. They haven’t noticed him yet, gazing straight ahead at a child playing in the snow. As he makes his way closer, Harry takes in the wind tousled blonde hair, long enough that the ends are brushing against the beige scarf tucked into the blue coat. The sharp jawline and pale, yet flushed, cheeks are making a long lost image rise to the forefront of his memory. It’s only when he comes to a stop next to the bench that Harry finally catches on. 

“Malfoy?”


	2. ii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry might be just a teensy bit confused.

“Malfoy?” Harry gasps. While it might have been years since he last came across the man, probably at the end of the year dinner in their eighth year, it’s a face he knows he can’t ever forget. 

The man in question looks up at Harry in confusion, brows furrowed in confusion, and there’s no denying it. That’s Draco Malfoy. 

Hermione set him up on a blind date with _Draco Malfoy._

“Potter?” 

He’s so lost in the wave of mild terror at the situation coursing through him that he misses Malfoy rising to stand and face him. Now that they’re face to face, Harry finally gets a good look at Malfoy. He looks older, as expected, but hidden under the age sculpted features are still hints of the boy he remembers. 

Harry takes in a deep breath. Nods. The child playing near the trees squeals as light makes snow from the branches fall around him. 

“Malfoy, it’s been a while.”

“It has,” he nods. “Congratulations on your new role, I heard from Pansy that you’re leading the entire team now.” 

“Thanks. It’s been pretty great so far.” Harry trails off. As the silence grows, he mentally curses Hermione. _What was she thinking?_

Suddenly Harry remembers he had actually been running late. “Sorry for making you wait, Malfoy,” he rushes to apologise, fixing himself and adding, “err Draco.” 

If they really are going to grab a meal together might as well start calling each other by their first names. The alternative feels too much like regressing back to his teenage years. He’s been trying to do less of that these days. 

Draco blinks. His hair is longer now, Harry notices. It falls gracefully over his eyes, the wispy ends lifting lightly because of the wind. Harry is struck by his startling grey eyes.

“Uh, it’s okay?” Draco adds on hesitantly, “Harry?”

Harry nods encouragingly, feeling like they were finally making progress. 

“Thanks! I’m glad you suggested the park, had we decided on a place further away I would have been in real trouble,” Harry chuckles. 

“I suggested it?”

“Yeah,” Harry replies, wondering why Draco sounds so confused. “For our date?” 

_“Excuse me?”_

Before Harry can speak up he hears someone call him from behind. 

“Harry?

Harry turns to find a wizard walking towards them. With neatly trimmed brown hair and a bright smile, he’s certainly attractive. He also looks _very_ familiar. 

His bafflement must be apparent for the man to speak up, extending a hand for Harry to shake. “Dave Holland? I work with Hermione, we met at her party last month.” 

Now that he mentions it Harry can vaguely recall interacting with some of Hermione’s co-workers. He takes another look at Dave, remembering the interested glances he’d pretended to ignore, too exhausted from a full and busy work week. Dave is smiling good naturedly, waiting for Harry to say something. 

That’s when Harry notices it. Dave is also wearing a coat. A blue coat. 

_Oh no._

With slow dawning horror Harry looks back at Draco.

“Well,” Draco says, he’s clearly trying to hold back a smile, “looks like your date is here.” With a cheeky wave he turns, calling over to the child, “Come, Scorpius.” 

Harry watches on in shock as Draco fondly brushes snow off the little boy’s, Scorpius’s, coat. They hold hands as they walk away, the little boy skipping along as Draco walks slowly to match his pace.  


❄❄❄

Hours later Harry finds himself seated across from Dave in a cosy family run restaurant. It’s a quaint little place with only six tables, the wooden tables worn and softened by years of use. Bright holiday decorations cover the walls, the servers dressed in festive hats. Even the brick fireplace they managed to snag a table by has a tasteful garland draped across it. 

Dave is nice, easy to talk to. Harry can see why Hermione thought this might work. Despite his best efforts to pay attention to the man in front of him, Harry can’t help but think back to the moment in the park. 

He can’t stop thinking about Draco.

(So much for not regressing back to his teen years.)


	3. iii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Hermione go Christmas shopping!

“ . . . . and he has a  _ child _ too,” Harry exclaims, mildly indignant that Hermione isn’t as shocked as he wants her to be at this. She merely hums in response, passing Harry a pretty teal sweater to take a look at it.

Harry plays with the material, loving how soft it feels. He turns it over to check the price. With a wince he places it back onto the rack. He likes his co-worker but not enough to drop that much on  _ one _ sweater. 

“It was so surreal seeing him, ‘Mione,” Harry brings it up again, rifling through the ties on display. He manages to find one that’s acceptably priced and the holographic Christmas trees are only visible when the light hits from a certain direction. “I wonder what he’s been up to,” he trails off, thinking back to the settled, mature version of Malfoy Draco he encountered. 

It takes them another hour, a hunt through four floors to the exact pair of shoes Hermione had her eye on and a resulting tug of war with another determined lady for them to find the remaining gifts. As they step out of Harrods the chilly air is a welcome relief from the packed store behind them. 

It’s only once they’re seated in a cafe nearby, shopping bags stacked around them, that Hermione brings up the date. 

“So, how was dinner last night?” She asks, softly blowing on her steaming cup of tea. 

Harry takes a careful sip, relishing the comforting taste of coffee. “It was okay, Dave seems like a nice enough bloke, I guess.”

She perks up at that, leaning forward eagerly. “Does a second date seem likely then?” 

“Let’s see. Maybe?” 

He can feel Hermione’s curious gaze on him as he plays with the cookies placed between them. “Say,” he starts, suddenly recalling something he’d been meaning to ask her, “doesn’t Parkinson work on the same floor as you?” 

“She does,” Hermione frowns in confusion. It only takes her a few seconds before she’s shaking her head, “Oh, Harry. I’m not going to ask her about Malfoy.” 

“Come on, aren’t you just as curious to know why he’s back  _ now _ ?” Harry tries to appeal to her. He stares at her beseechingly, offering her a cookie when she refuses to back down. 

“Oh, fine,” she finally snaps, rolling her eyes in fond exasperation. “I should have known the moment you mentioned Malfoy.” 

“Known what?”

“That where Malfoy is concerned, you never did know when to give up.” 

  
  
  


  
  



	4. iv.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Burrow starts decorating for Christmas while Ron and Harry have a quick chat.

“Here you go, Harry dear,” Mrs. Weasley hands him a generously filled cup of hot chocolate. “Now why don’t you two get started with these while Bill helps me get the rest of the decorations out.” 

As she walks off Harry takes in the considerable pile of mismatched and jumbled up string lighting placed on the floor between him and Ron. He looks back up at Ron. 

“Do you think she’d notice we just vanished this and got new ones?” 

Ron chuckles behind his own mug of hot chocolate, he already has a considerable foam mustache going. “Oh, she definitely would, mate. Tried that once a few years ago.” 

They get to work untangling the wires, a slow and tedious task. Harry knows he shouldn’t complain though, he could have gotten George’s chore instead. He’d much rather be warm and comfortable instead than have to get the roof cleared while standing on a rickety ladder manned by a very easily distracted Mr. Weasley.

They’re almost done when Ron speaks up, “So, Malfoy. That must have been weird.” 

Harry freezes, carefully placing a neatly coiled length of the light to the side before getting started on another. 

“It was,” he says. “I wonder why he’s back now.” 

“Probably got tired of being away,” Ron shrugs. “I heard he left as soon as his probation was up.” 

“I guess. Did you know he has a kid?” 

“‘Mione mentioned it, not too surprising though, you know? Most of these Pureblood families have marriage contracts drawn up as soon a child is born.” 

“Ah,” Harry falls onto the ground with a sigh, his back twinging in relief from being hunched over for so long. “Could be.” 

Harry looks over to find Ron already staring at him with a pensive expression. When Harry arches an eyebrow in question he just shakes his head with a small, almost knowing, smile. 

Before Harry can prod him a bit to find out what’s up they hear George shout. Looking over at the window they can spot his sneakers flailing about just below the upper edge of the window. 

With a weary sigh, Ron rises, nudging Harry’s foot as he passes. 

“Let’s go save him before Mum finds out.” 

Judging by the shrill, “ _ Arthur, not again! _ ”, that follows them out of the house, it’s too late for that. 

  
  



	5. v.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry buys a bath bomb and meets a child who loves cotton candy!

Diagon is bustling, the air thick with the tempting scent of warm candy and spicy eggnog. The usual carts selling all varieties of magical wares have swapped out for Christmad goodies and treats of all kinds. Harry strolls along, hands in his pockets, enjoying the sense of comfort only Diagon could bring. 

He was finally done with almost all of his shopping, gifts wrapped and stacked in his spare bedroom. The  _ only _ thing left was a little gift for the silly gift exchange they’d started a few years ago and had ended up becoming a tradition of sorts. 

It’s as he’s munching on some caramel popcorn,  _ gently _ persuaded into buying by a very convincing witch, that Harry spots the store. It’s new, he remembers there being an abandoned book store in its place before. Every time they’d walk by it Hermione would sigh, complaining under her breath about big chains overtaking family owned stores. 

Curious he walks over, taking in the eclectic collection of things in the display window. There’s a pretty chess set with elaborately decorated pieces, candlesticks that seem to glimmer when the light hits them just right, hanging glass baubles with floating light orbs and a dreamcatcher that’s swaying gently despite there being no signs of a wind. Mixed amongst the more outright magical items are more casual effects, cushions with cute messages like “Wake me up when the winter ends” and pretty red wine glasses. 

The odd mix match of Muggle and Magic is intriguing, making Harry walk in to talk a look around. The door chimes softly as he enters, a lingering smell of vanilla in the air that makes him crave Mrs. Weasley’s special cupcakes.The store inside is cluttered but in a way that looks like it’s deliberate. There are blue velvet armchairs that he recognises from the last store, though they definitely look refurbished and in better shape than before. Towering shelves line the walls, all sorts of creeping vines, flowering plants and colorful pots placed over the top.

There doesn’t seem to be anyone else around, even the shop owner. He assumes they’re probably around judging by the fact that the store was open. There’s a door next to the cash register and he can hear faint shuffling sounds, confirming his theory. Seeing the open and half empty boxes laying around he figured they’re still setting up and refrains from calling out, opting to browse around a bit instead. 

His attention is caught by a bright banner that says “Surprise Bath Bombs!” in sparkly glitter. It’s over a table next to the front door, partially hidden by a large palm leaf. Confetti rains over it in sporadic bursts, covering the display in a layer of colored bits of paper. 

Closer up he can read the text under the bigger font on the banner. 

“ _ Surprise Bath Bombs to turn bath time into an adventure! From lovely floral scents to a mix of more daring blends, these bath bombs are guaranteed to make bath time special - for adults and kids alike!  _

_ Available: kid friendly varieties, prank versions, the Every-Flavor™ bath range and many more. _ ”

This is something new, he muses, going through the range of smells, effects and surprises listed on the little board. He knew Bath Bombs were very popular amongst Muggles, it was the first time he’d seen them in a wizarding store. 

In a stroke of inspiration he decides to get one as his gift for the exchange, a fun purple from the Every-Flavor™ range _.  _ Deciding to grab one for himself as well, a white one flecked with blue that apparently smells just like the ocean, he makes his way towards the counter. 

Placing his items next to the till, he lightly knocks on the wood, calling out, “Hello?” 

Within seconds, out of seemingly nowhere, a child pops up from under the counter. Harry startles, taking in the boy as he struggles to climb onto the chair placed behind the till. He watches on amused as the boy huffs, pulling himself up and taking his time getting settled.. He looks no older than five, dressed in a smart green cardigan, his silver-blonde hair tousled. Just like Harry he has glasses on, the blue round frames a little lopsided. 

While seated his legs barely hang over the edge of the chair, something the boy seems to notice. Harry watches on in amusement as he shifts to kneel on the seat instead. The child leans onto the counter, smiling up at Harry. 

“Hello,” he pipes, “welcome to my papa’s store!” 

Harry grins. “Hullo. Thank you, this is a very nice store. Is your papa around?” He can’t hear anything from behind the door anymore so he’s hoping the man in question is done with whatever he was busy with and will come out soon. 

“He is,” the child speaks up, absentmindedly pushing his glass up. His fingers smudge the lens a little, making Harry itch to reach out and clean them. 

Harry waits. 

“Can you call him for me please?” He finally asks when the boy makes no move to call his father. 

“Papa! There’s a man here,” the boy screams, now standing on the chair. He takes in Harry’s purchases. “The pink one is my favorite,” he whispers, like he’s sharing a special secret with Harry. “It smells like cotton candy.” 

“I  _ love  _ cotton candy,” Harry says. 

The boy gasps. “Me too!”

He’s clambered onto the counter now, accidentally kicking one of the bath bombs. Harry manages to catch it before it rolls off. 

“What’s your name? My name is - “

“ _ Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. _ ”

The boy, Scorpius, squeaks at his father’s voice. Harry watches on in shock as Draco walks out of the back room, he hadn’t even noticed the door open. 

“What have I said about climbing onto the counter?” Draco asks, seemingly ignoring Harry for the moment. 

Scorpius looks down at his shoes, sniffling a little. Harry doesn’t know how Draco is maintaining his serious expression when faced with such a sad, adorable little boy. 

“Not to do it,” Scorpius mumbles. “I just wanted to help Papa.” 

Draco sighs, giving in and lifting the child easily when he reaches out to be picked up. 

“I know, thank you,” Draco says, tucking stray hair behind Scorpius’s ear. “Next time please help me by listening to me, okay?”

Scorpius nods solemnly. “I promise.” 

He sends Scorpius into the back room for a snack, the child leaving with a cheery wave at Harry. Finally turning to regard Harry, Draco leans against the counter. 

“So,” he smirks. “How was the date?” 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The longest chapter so far, phew!


	6. vi.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco chat! Harry wonders if alternate universes do really exist.  
> For Day 6 of the 25 days of Drarry Challenge!

“So,” he smirks. “How was the date?” 

Harry flushes. 

“It was, umm, okay. Good.” He feels the need to add on, “It was just the one date though.” 

“Huh, pity,” Draco says. “He seemed like a good bloke.” 

“Yeah, we just didn’t connect again” Harry explains, he’s wondering why he feels the need to make sure Draco knows that date went nowhere. 

Draco merely smiles, his eyes twinkling as he takes in Harry’s purchases. 

The till opens with a chime and the sound of coins rattling. As he starts ringing up the bath items, Harry scans the store for anything else that can take with him. 

(Anything he can use to stall, he’s not entirely ready to leave yet.) 

Spotting a row of nutcrackers and other figurines on a shelf he saunters over. Intrigued, he picks one up. 

“What do these do?” 

“Hmm,” Draco hums as he looks up distractedly. “Oh, those are a prototype design based on a Muggle device I saw once. You place them on the fireplace and they can take messages if you’re out!” 

Harry isn’t sure what to focus on first. The fact that Malfoy is creating wizarding dupes for muggle tech. Or the fact that he sounds  _ excited _ about it. 

He decides ignorance is best. 

“So like an answering machine?” 

“Is  _ that _ what they’re called?” Draco asks, he looks ecstatic. It’s so surreal. “Muggles have the most fascinating things, you know.”

Harry wonders if he’s in an alternate universe. The Unspeakables had apparently been working on that, from what he’d heard in passing at the Ministry. Maybe they’d succeeded. 

His musing is cut short by Draco saying, “That’ll be two galleons.” 

Ten minutes later Harry is sent out the door with his purchases in a bag and a cheerful, “See you again, Harry!” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not happy with this at all, I had a ridiculously exhausting day. I feel bad for sharing such a sucky chapter, hopefully tomorrow's is better!


	7. vii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kreacher makes an appearance! (Or he's mentioned at least!) 
> 
> For Day 7 of the 25 Days of Drarry 2020 Challenge.

Harry leans back in his chair, stretching his arms till he can feel that comfortable burn in his muscles. There’s a half-finished letter on his desk, the ink still wet and glossy in the light. The Ministry’s ambassador in Helsinki can wait a little longer for their reply, for now Harry needs a cup of hot tea to make sure he stays awake. 

He decides to stop by Hermione’s office on the way, no one’s ever too busy for a tea break. She’s pouring over a thick sheaf of parchment, her messy bun close to unravelling as she rakes a frustrated hand through her hair. 

Harry knocks, smiling sheepishly when she gets a little startled. “I’m heading down for a cup of tea. Wanna join?” 

“Yes, please,” Hermione sighs, carefully moving all the documents to a drawer and locking it with a wave of her wand. 

“Are you still up for hosting us all on Friday?” She asks as they wait in line for one of the lifts, the queue is mercifully short given the time of day. 

“As long as everyone is okay with bare minimum furniture in the apartment, sure,” Harry chuckles, nodding politely at a passing wizard. “I’ve had no time to set it up yet.” 

The new apartment was something Harry had been considering for a while. Grimmauld was simply too big and too empty for one person. There was also too much history there for him to feel truly comfortable in the house. Finding a new place had surprisingly fun, an enthusiastic Ginny keeping him company as he toured apartments, condos, lofts and even houses. 

When he had walked into the one bedroom apartment, with tons of windows that let in natural light for most of the day, he had known it was the one. Even though it had been at least a month since the last box had been brought over from Grimmauld he was yet to fully unpack. 

“Ron and I can always just host at ours?” Hermione offers. “It’ll be a good excuse to get him to clean up.”

Harry laughs, pouring hot water into two cups on the beverage stand in the cafeteria. “Thanks, but it’s probably the excuse  _ I _ need to finally settle into the place.” They move to an empty table near one of the many charmed windows, the view of the coast of Amalfi a welcome reprieve from the drab Ministry walls. 

“Let me know if you need any help.” Placated at Harry’s nod, she stirs her tea, visibly relaxing a little at the first sip. “What about Kreacher? How’s he settling in?” 

Harry groans. “I still dunno why he won’t just stay at Grimmauld, I told him he has free reign of the place. All he has to do is make sure it doesn’t fall into ruin!” 

“Maybe he likes having company around?” 

“He’s completely mental, Hermione, I’m not kidding. He spends his days people watching. It’s  _ all _ he does. I had to charm my window so no one accidentally spots him!” 

She’s clearly trying hard not to laugh. Harry flailing about, complaining about his ancient house-elf is a  _ sight _ . 

“Not to mention, he  _ gossips _ ,” Harry whispers, scandalised. “I know so much about my neighbors now, things I didn’t need to know.  _ Ever. _ ” 

“Oh, Harry,” she bites back a smile while gently patting his arm in sympathy. “I’m sure he’ll get bored soon enough and stop. At least he isn’t actively creating a mess for you.” 

“That’s true,” he sighs, draining his cup of tea in one go. “Maybe I’ll try asking him again if he can at least set up the living room. Not that there’s much to put up.” 

As Hermione starts listing her favorite furniture stores in London Harry has a sudden epiphany. He needs things for his house. He needs little knick-knacky things and whatever else people use for decor. 

He also knows someone who has a store filled with many such little knick-kancy things. 

Nodding along to Hermione as they walk, Harry smells in satisfaction. 

Looks like a trip to Diagon Alley is in order. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had _no_ idea what to do with today's picture prompt and clearly my brain can't come up with simple alternatives.


	8. viii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scorpius and Harry have some ice-cream together. 
> 
> For Day 8 of the 25 days of Drarry 2020 Challenge!

Harry pauses in front of the store, he surreptitiously takes in in his reflection in the storefront glass. The black turtleneck is new, Hermione had all but forced it on him during their last shopping trip. He tugs at the neck wondering if maybe he should just run home real quick and change. 

“It’s just Draco,” he reminds himself. With a final look he walks in and realises he can’t enter in any further than the door because the store is  _ packed _ . 

There’s a line of people in front of the counter, he can just about spot the top of Draco’s blond head over the crowd. Customers are milling about the displays, he can see a group of teenagers lingering near the bath bomb display, gawking at the way the water fizzes, tiny sparks exploding on the surface. 

Harry wonders if he should just leave and come back later, he’d been hoping for a quiet browsing experience like last time. The chance to  _ really _ take his time. Only for the purpose of shopping of course, nothing more. 

At that moment a large group of middle aged witches leave, freeing up the store space a little. Figuring that if he’s here he might as well actually take a look around and get some things, Harry starts going through his mental list of items he needed. 

He picks up one of the nutcrackers, eager to try it out since the last time he was here. He also finds a set of distressed photo frames that use a nifty little spell to show a continuous stream of photos. As the crowd starts picking up again Harry decides he’s probably done for now and gets into line in front of the counter. 

There’s only one person before him, giving him a chance to observe Draco. He looks harried. Harry can almost feel his exhaustion, a twinge of sympathy rising through him. As the man before him gathers up his purchases and leaves, Harry finally steps up to the counter. 

He watches on as Draco rushes to peek into the back room, his shoulders relaxing a little at whatever he sees. 

“Hello, welcome to - Oh, Harry,” he smiles, a tired little thing but it’s enough to make Harry feel his mood lift slightly. 

He places his items on the counter. “Looks like business is booming.” 

“It is,” Draco sighs, “I should be ecstatic but Blaise’s nephew was supposed to start assisting me starting today and he’s  _ clearly _ running very late.” 

“Papa?”

Harry startles as Scorpius appears from behind the door, a small frown on his face. 

“I’m hungry,” Scorpius whines, reaching up to tug at Draco’s sleeve. 

Draco gently brushes back Scorpius’s bangs. “Just a little bit longer, sweetheart.”

Harry isn’t sure what makes him say it, maybe it’s the overwhelmed look on Draco’s face as he takes in the crowd still milling about or maybe it’s the sight of Scorpius’s lower lip quivering as the volume in the store rises. 

“I can take him.” he offers. He fidgets as two pairs of startling gray eyes look at him, Draco looks confused while Scorpius looks excited as he finally notices Harry. 

“What, no, Harry, it’s okay,” Draco stutters, lifting Scorpius up so he can wave at Harry. “I can probably close up early today.” 

Harry smiles at Scorpius, feeling his heart melt a little as the boy seems to reach out to him to be held. 

“Listen,” Harry leans closer. “Forestcue’s is only a few shops down, we can grab some ice cream and then wait for you outside on that bench,” he points behind him to the bench placed right outside the store. “He’ll be within your eyesight at all times.” 

Draco bites his lip, tightening his hold on Scorpius till the boy’s soft, “I’m hungry, papa,” breaks the silence. He nods. 

“Scorpius, do you want to go with Harry for a bit?” He asks. “He’ll have lunch with you till Papa finishes up here.” 

“Papa won’t come with me?” Scorpius pouts. 

Draco shakes his head, “Not right now but I’ll be so fast you won’t even notice I’m gone.” 

It takes another ten minutes for him to fully reassure Scorpius, Harry waits patiently as they chat. He even ends up helping a customer who had a question about how the nutcrackers worked. 

When they finally set off towards Fortescue’s, Scorpius seems back to his cheerful self. He skips along as they walk, stopping in front of every store. He has questions about  _ everything _ , gazing up at Harry in wonder as he tries to answer as many of them as he can. 

It reminds Harry of his first visit to Diagon, the sense of amazement at this new world suddenly available to him. It’s a heady feeling. 

Scorpius takes his time choosing an ice cream, he politely asks the witch behind the counter for a taste and makes sure to declare every flavor the absolute best. He finally settles on a cotton candy swirl with a chocolate frog perched on it. The only time he seems upset is when Harry says maybe it’s better if they bring Draco here for an ice-cream rather than taking him one in case it melts. 

They’re back in front of the store soon enough, Harry helping Scorpius settle down comfortably before he takes a seat next him. He spots Draco peeking out from the store window, he visibly relaxes on seeing Scorpius. It also looks like Blaise’s cousin finally made it in, judging by the young wizard helping Draco package items. 

As the last customer leaves Draco flips the sign from open to closed and beckons them inside. Scorpius excitedly regals Draco with tales of his short adventure, from the toad that croaked at him to the kind witch at Fortescue’s who let him try all the flavors. 

Draco listens on attentively, making sure to ask questions and  _ ooh _ and  _ ahh _ at the right moment. Harry feels like maybe he should find it odd how quickly he’s gotten accustomed to seeing Draco Malfoy, resident bane of his existence, as a father but there’s something so natural about this Draco. 

Scorpius finally settled on the counter under the watchful gaze of Blaise’s tardy cousin, Draco turns to Harry. 

“Thank you,” he says sincerely. “Truly, I really appreciate it.” 

“It was honestly not a bother at all, Scorpius is excellent company,” Harry reassures him, willing the heat in his cheeks to recede. 

“Still,” Draco gestures him towards the counter, a large bag placed on it. “These are all on the house, as a token of my gratitude.” 

Harry peers into the bag, 

“I wasn’t sure what you’d like so feel free to bring anything back to swap for something else.” 

“Draco, I can’t take all of this,” Harry tries to reason, there are definitely way more things in there than what he’d picked up. “I only wanted a few pieces to decorate my new apartment. This is a lot!”

“I insist,” Draco stands firm, he stills for a second, expression thoughtful. He suddenly heads into the back room. “In fact,” he calls over his shoulder, “I have  _ just _ the thing, yes.” 

He walks back out with a large frame in hand, the front covered in brown paper hiding the piece from view. 

“We just got this,” he explains, carefully placing it down in front of Harry. “Funny thing is, the moment I saw it I thought of you.” 

“Draco - “

“Please,” Draco says softly. 

Harry sighs. “Okay, but I definitely owe Scorpius loads more ice-cream to make up for this.” 

“I’m sure he’d love that.” 

❄❄❄

It’s late by the time Harry finally gets home, a long overdue dinner with Neville had ended up extending into a nightcap at Ron and Hermione’s. 

He’s ready for bed as he steps out of the Floo but he feels all signs of exhaustion fade as he comes face to face with the brown frame Draco had sent over earlier. It’s sitting by the coffee table, still wrapped in it’s brown paper. 

Harry peels the note taped to the top right corner. There’s a spell on it, with instructions on how to assemble. Briefly he wonders if maybe he should wait till tomorrow when he’s slightly more sober but curiosity wins over. 

As the last of the brown paper falls away Harry can only stare in awe at the image that appears. A magnificent rendering of a stag made from what appears to be gossamer fine strands of silk. It’s intricate yet delicate, the details make him want to sit and stare at for hours. As the flames behind him flicker so does the reflection on the threads, a warm gold rising and fading with the light. He’s never seen anything like it before. 

Belatedly he remembers the spell. He stares, stunned, as the threads seem to come alive. Bit by bit the points of it start lighting up, a bright glow that appears to emanate from nowhere yet illuminates the image in pieces. 

It’s beautiful. It’s perfect. 

“ _. . . . it made me think of you. _ ” That’s what Draco had said. 

Feeling more sober than he has all night Harry hunts around for parchment. He carefully writes the notes, feeling apologetic about rousing his snoozing owl but he knows if he doesn’t send this now he won’t be able to sleep all night. 

> “Are you free for dinner tomorrow, 8pm?” 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter so far, wow. I loved today's prompt!


	9. ix.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry wakes up the next morning to a surprise. 
> 
> For Day 9 of the 25 Days of Drarry 2020 Challenge!

“Ughh.”

Harry groans as he rolls over in bed. The cooler side of the bed is a welcome relief from the overheated side he slept on. He wakes slowly, consciousness beckoning him in pieces. 

Perhaps the best part of his new apartment was the fact that he got to buy a new mattress. From the Durselys to Hogwarts to Grimmauld - he had made do with whatever was available. Moving into the new place now meant he had the chance to buy all new furniture, finally get the things  _ he _ wanted for his house. 

The first thing on the list had been a new mattress. Hermione had waited patiently for hours as Harry had tested mattress after mattress - sitting, jumping, laying down on them - it had been a careful and detailed process. It was  _ so _ worth it. 

He sends a silent thanks to his past self now. The comforting hug of his mattress makes him want to stay in bed forever. The day beckons though, sunlight streaming from the window next to his bed. WIth his eyes closed he stretches in the sun like a lazy cat, luxuriating in the contrast of the cool air in his bedroom against the warm rays of the sun. 

Squinting an eye open he blinks against the light, grunting as he pushes himself up slowly. A quick glance at the clock on his bedside table shows it’s only past eight, too early for him to up on a Sunday.

Through some rare miracle there’s breakfast waiting for him on the table, the eggs still steaming under a stasis charm. It takes him a while to finally feel human again, cursing Neville and his collection of rare aged firewhiskeys. 

It’s as he’s finishing up that he notices the letter placed next to his plate. Confused, he tears it open. 

Harry blinks. 

_ Oh no. _

Vaguely he remembers sending an owl last night. For the life of him he couldn’t remember who he sent it to though. 

He can’t believe he asked out Draco Malfoy while half drunk. He reads the letter again. Then once more. It’s then that the contents of the letter finally sink in. 

_ “Ask me again next week.” _

He slumps onto the table, hiding his smile in his sleeve. Looks like he owes drunk Harry for being braver than sober Harry would be. 

Summoning his quill he pens a quick reply. 

He spends the rest of the day in bed. His bedroom is the only room in the house almost fully furnished. Mostly due to Hermione’s insistence, each time she would visit she’d bring with her one thing or another. From bed linens to more pillows than he could possibly need to little knick knacks to “liven up the space” as she put it. He’s not entirely sure what the dried floral branch or the abundance of candles provide but he can admit that they do look nice.

He takes the time to light the candles, placing them around the room and on the windowsill. The blinds are drawn up to give him an uninterrupted view of the snowfall. 

Even with the reports and scrolls spread around him on the duvet, it doesn’t feel like he’s working. The comforting crackle of the fire is a familiar background as he works. 

As he places the last of the scrolls onto the pile next to the bed his eyes stray to the letter on his bedside. 

He still can’t believe he asked out  _ Draco Malfoy _ . 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason I was writing this thinking there's 15 chapters. When in reality there will be 25. Oops. 
> 
> Basically this means Harry and Draco can't go on that date _just_ yet. It's too soon! What do I write for the next 16 chapters then? :D
> 
> I also experimented a little with the letters, I'm not entirely sure how well those work with the fic but I figured why not since I had some spare time.


	10. x.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry, Ron and Hermione get a chance to catch up!

Harry relaxes into the armchair, fidgeting a little as he feels a spring poke into his back. Ron had found these chairs right before they were thrown out from the Ministry, apparently one of the offices was being remodelled and they would have just thrown out all the old furniture. Ron had been very proud of his find, eagerly showing them off to a skeptical Hermione and Harry. 

Through the combined effort of all three of them, as well as some clever magic on Hermione’s part, they’d managed to drag them to The Burrow. Now seated under the crabapple tree, Harry can admit that this was one of Ron’s finer ideas. Even with the nip in the air, the fruit on the tree now covered in a light dusting of snow, the three of them are cosy and warm thanks to Hermione’s nifty little fire in a jar spell. 

He’s lost in thought, gazing at the Robin perched on a branch above them, when a voice shatters the tranquil silence. 

“You did  _ what _ ?”

Harry startles, the cup of tea wobbling dangerously before it settles. The robin yeeps before flying away. With a frown Harry looks up at Ron who is unashamedly staring at him. 

“Don’t give me that look,” Ron shakes a finger at him. “I can’t believe you asked out Draco Malfoy.” 

Harry instantly shoots Hermione with an accusing glare. She has the courtesy to look apologetic, even trying to intervene with, “ _ Really _ , Ron -”

“It was a decision heavily influenced by alcohol,” Harry gently interrupts her. 

“It’s not about that,” Ron shakes his head, I’m just confused about when  _ this _ started?” 

Harry glances at Hermione, confused. She offers him a knowing smile, only adding to his state of confusion. Before Harry can ask Ron what he’s talking about, the other speaks up. 

“You like him,” Ron says, awed.

Harry blinks. 

“You  _ like _ like him,” Ron elaborates, looking proud of himself. 

Harry flushes. “I - it’s not - ”

“Oh, please, Harry,” he leans over to pat Harry on the back. “Don’t fight it, it’s clear as day.” 

Harry sinks into his chair, shoulders pulled up. 

“It’s sweet, really,” Hermions offers, she uses her wand to switch on the fairy lights hanging from the tree. Harry knows any minute now Mrs. Weasley will be calling for them. 

“So when are we meeting him?” 

“Never.” 

“Come on, mate,” Ron laughs. “You really think you can hide Malfoy from us.” 

“There’s nothing to hide!” Harry exclaims. “We’re just acquaintances.” 

Ron rolls his eyes fondly. “Okay then, as your friends we would like to meet this acquaintance of yours.” 

“Here’s an idea,” Hermione suggests, Harry already has a feeling he won’t like whatever she’s come up with. “Why don’t you invite him to your housewarming party this Friday?” 

Harry groans, his noises of complaint drowning under Ron’s boisterous, “What a marvellous, idea!”

Looks like his housewarming party just got a lot more interesting. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very _blegh_ chapter.


	11. xi.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things don't really go the way Harry planned but it still feels like a step forward.

Harry’s busy trying to get the tree when the Floo chimes. He drops the lights with a huff, wondering how the Professors at Hogwarts would get all those trees up so efficiently when he’s here struggling with one. Thinking about the school brings a smile to his face, the snow falling outside and the roaring fire inside bringing back memories of holidays in the castle. 

Hogwarts in the winter was truly a magical site, parts of the castle covered in such a deeper layer of snow that it would become one with the surroundings. 

He’s brought out of his reminiscing as the Floo chimes again. He rushes over the fireplace, waving his wand to open the network. 

“Hello?”

“Draco?”

Harry watches on in confusion as Draco’s face appears in the fire. He looks tense, his brows furrowed. 

“Oh, Harry, I’m so glad you’re home,” Draco sighs in relief. 

Harry gets comfortable on the floor, he feels a little unsettled seeing Draco so worried. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” he asks, moving closer to the grate. “Is everything okay?” 

Draco looks so apologetic as he replies. “I’m so sorry, Harry. Scorpius fell ill last night, we’re unfortunately going to have to stay home tonight.” 

Later Harry will realise that while he should have felt bad about Draco missing his party, his primary emotion at that moment was concern for Scorpius. 

“Oh no, what happened?” 

“It’s just a bug that’s going around, the Medi-Wizard is confident he’ll be fine by tomorrow. I just don’t feel comfortable leaving him alone for that long,” Draco says, his voice full of regret. 

“That’s okay,” Harry shakes his head, “don’t worry about it. Is there anything I can do to help? I’m not doing anything for the next few hours if you need something.” The tree can wait, it’s not like his friends haven’t seen his house this messy before. 

“Thank you. I think we’re okay for now.” He pauses for a bit then smiles a sad little smile, “I was really looking forward to tonight.” 

“We’ll take a rain check?” Harry asks. 

Draco nods. “Definitely. Keep an eye out for my owl now.” 

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Draco ends the call soon after. Harry stays in front of the fireplace, deep in thought. He’s feeling the need to do  _ something _ to help. 

In a stroke of inspiration he grabs some Floo powder. As the fire turns green he can speak into the flames. 

“The Burrow!”

❄❄❄

Mrs. Weasley is a saint. Harry barely explains the situation before she’s already up on her feet, wand whipping the kitchen into an organized frenzy. 

Now armed with a piping hot container of her famous soup he waits for Draco to answer the Floo. 

“Hello?” 

“Scorpius?” Harry asks, confused. 

“Harry,” Scorpius greets hoarsely. Harry winces in sympathy when Scorpius coughs. “I’m sick,” he pouts. 

“I heard,” Harry wonders where Draco is. “What are you doing out of bed, buddy?” 

Scorpius sneezes into his sleeve. “Answering the Floo,” he says with a giggle, like Harry is silly for not knowing something so obvious. 

“Thank you. You did a very good job of it. Where’s your Papa?”

“In the shower. Harry, are we going to your house today?” 

“I - “

He’s saved from answering by Draco who seems to have finally entered the room. Harry waits patiently as Draco tries to herd his son back to bed, the little boy trying his best to resist. 

It takes another five minutes before Draco finally appears, his hair dripping onto his sweater as he clearly seems to have rushed out from his shower. 

“Any other day and he’s so good about taking his nap. The one day he  _ actually _ needs the rest he doesn’t want to, go figure,” Draco complains fondly. 

Harry laughs along till he suddenly remembers the heavy container in his hands. 

“Oh, here you go,” he holds it up so Draco can see. “Mrs. Weasley’s miracle soup, I swear this thing is pure magic. I’m convinced it can cure  _ anything _ .” 

“She made that for Scorpius?” Draco asks softly. 

“Well you can have some if you want,” Harry jokes, “but yes, I asked and she was more than happy to whip some up for Scorpius as soon as she heard he was ill.” 

“Oh.”

“What’s wrong?” Harry frowns. 

“Nothing,” Draco tries to play it off but Harry can tell he’s bothered by something. He wonders if he overstepped by trying to help. 

“It’s just a really sweet thing to do,” Draco whispers, unknowingly reassuring Harry. “Thank you.” 

“It’s just soup,” he offers weakly. Coughing slightly he straightens up, “I’ll send it over with Kreacher, Mrs. Weasley said it should heat up just fine.” 

Draco nods. “Okay.” 

Knowing he should probably start getting ready for his guests, Harry reluctantly bids Draco goodbye. 

Even as he gets dressed, as he welcomes his friends and takes their gentle ribbing about Draco in stride, Harry finds himself missing the other throughout the evening. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry! They _will_ go on that date soon. I was feeling slightly unwell myself today so of course someone in the fic had to reflect that. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone reading along! Your comments really keep me going otherwise writing a chapter a day would be quite an impossible feat for me. ♥


	12. xii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ron and Harry run across someone in Diagon Alley!

The air is heavy with the tempting smell of roasted chestnuts. Harry lets Ron lead him through the crowd towards the cart they can spot in the distance. Diagon is busy as ever - children chasing each other, people haggling with store owners and food vendors loudly describing the delicacy of their wares. 

Hot chestnuts procured they leisurely stroll through the market. Hermione is somewhere picking up a new set of dress robes. Rather than get bored in the store as she gets fitted they decided to walk around the Alley instead, meeting up with her an hour later for dinner.

Somehow through their directionless meandering they manage to end up right in front of Draco’s store. What a  _ coincidence _ .

“Harry,” Ron suddenly stops in his tracks, he grabs a hold of Harry’s arm. “Isn’t that Malfoy?”

Harry turns casually. “Where? Oh, yeah, that’s him. I forgot his store was around here.” 

He ignores Ron’s shrewd look and confidently walks towards the store. The scent of vanilla is ever present, that combined with the ribbons hanging from the roof and sprigs of holly placed along the walls, gives the store a very  _ familiar _ and comforting feel. 

It’s busy inside, not as packed as it was the other day, but enough that it makes Ron arch an eyebrow in surprise. Harry feels rather proud as he looks for Draco. He hears Scorpius before he sees him, the child’s eager laughter filling the store as he sits in the counter and blows bubbles that appear in a variety of animal shapes. 

“Harry!”

Harry rushes forward as Scorpius moves like he’s ready to jump off the counter. He ruffles the boy's hair, the silver strands soft under his hand. 

“Hey, buddy! How are you feeling today?”

“He’s feeling  _ much _ better,” Draco suddenly appears, carrying a large box from the back room. He places it on the countertop next to his son. Draco looks up and freezes on the spot as he finally notices Ron. 

“Malfoy.” 

“Weasley.” 

“Err,” Harry speaks up, eager to dispel the awkward silence, “looks like having Blaise’s cousin around is helping?” 

“Yes,” Draco takes a deep breath. He turns to face Harry, “we’re still in the training phase but it’s already taken off my burden a lot.” 

“I’m glad - “

“What’s this?” Ron cuts him off, he’s staring at a pair of the picture frames Harry purchased last time. 

“They’re like standard picture frames but instead of just one photo it can display a variety of them,” Draco explains, moving closer to the item. He keeps one hand on Scorpius to make sure the child doesn’t try to wiggle off the counter. “I believe Muggles have something like this too?” he asks Harry. 

“They do,” Harry nods, “those run on technology though.” 

“It’s just a modified version of the usual portrait spells,” Draco tries to play it off, like creating an entirely new type of charm isn’t a big deal at all. 

“I’ll take one of these,” Ron says pointing to the frames. “Dad will get a kick out of them.” 

He gets distracted by Scorpius then who had tugged on his sleeve to show him the bubble dragon he had made. Apparently just because he was with Harry, Ron automatically had Scorpius’s approval. 

“Hi,” Harry slides closer to Draco.

Draco rolls his eyes fondly, he nudges Harry lightly with his shoulder before he gets to work wrapping up Ron’s purchase. They leave soon after but not before Ron looks appraisingly at Malfoy, gives him a little nod and then walks out without waiting for Harry. 

Before Harry can leave, Draco calls out, "Blaise is free to babysit Scorpius on Friday. If you're available for dinner? I still need to make up for skipping out on you last time." He looks nervous, fidgeting with his sleeve as waits for Harry to reply. 

"I am, free, yes," Harry says, maybe _too_ eagerly. 

"Does 7pm work? There's a really nice Italian place not far from here."

Harry turns on his heel, his eyes on Draco as he walks backwards towards the door. 

"It's a date," he smirks, pleased at the sight of the flush that paints Draco's cheeks. 

His otherwise suave exit is somewhat disrupted by him almost tripping over a display case. He manages to right himself at the last minute, the sound of Draco's laugh lingering in the air. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never actually had roasted chestnuts but google informed me they taste good. Thank you for reading! ♥


	13. xiii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The date is coming up soon!

Harry wakes up late on Friday, the shril ring of the alarm getting cut off abruptly each time he hits snooze. It’s a cold morning, the December chill well and truly settled in the air. He groans and rolls around on the bed. 

He peeks at the window, the thin layer of frost on the glass making him grumble some more. He was up half the night busy with a sudden situation at work. He wanted to do nothing more than take the day off, the idea of staying in bed and sleeping all day  _ so _ tempting. 

Till he suddenly remembered. It’s Friday. 

He has a date with Draco tonight. 

In fit of excitement he kicks at the blankets and stumbles out of bed. Within the next second he’s cursing as his feet touch the chilled floor. Even that isn’t enough to dampen his mood though. As he brushes and waits for the water to heat up, he wonders how he’s going to be able to wait till the evening. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super short chapter, sorry! I ended up getting really busy today. ♥ 
> 
> The date will happen tomorrow. I promise. I'm making sure to mention it here so you can hold me accountable!


	14. xiv.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the _date!_.

Through some stroke of luck Harry manages to get to Diagon early. Picking an outfit for the date was a confusing whirlwind, Kreacher offering unhelping fashion suggestions interspersed with the latest gossip about the neighbours. 

While it’s tempting to swing by Draco’s store and keep him company till it’s time for them to meet, Harry opts to take in the evening market stalls instead. As they edge closer to Christmas the decor in the market grows more festive by the day as store owners compete to one up each other. 

From brightly flashing lights to real fairies fluttering along the store front, it’s a chaotic mix of festivity. He’s absentmindedly taking in the wares on offer, lost in thought about the date when - 

“I’d say the reindeer is more your style.”

Harry startles. He turns to find Draco standing next to him, the smirk on his face so reminiscent of Hogwarts. He’s taking in the stall Harry’s standing in front of, making Harry realise that he has no idea what he was looking at before Draco got there. 

With a mild twinge of trepidation he faces the stall again and promptly wants the ground to swallow him whole. 

It’s underwear.  _ Holiday _ themed underwear. 

Harry sputters and starts to edge away from the stall. Draco catches hold of his sleeve before he gets too far, tugging him back as he points to the aforementioned “reindeer” underwear. The deer's nose is very strategically located. 

“Aren’t you gonna get it?”

“Oh my God,” Harry mumbles, he lightly pulls his sleeve free before hooking an arm around Draco’s and steering them far away from the stall. As they make their way through the crowd he can feel Draco shoulder shaking next to him, the muffled giggles close to his ear. 

Thankfully Draco decides to drop it by the time they reach the restaurant. It’s a quaint little place with limited seating placed far apart that there’s an air of privacy. It’s only once they’re finally seated that Harry gets a chance to take in Draco uninterrupted as the other gets settled. 

The candlelight around them gives the place a cosy feel, the muted lighting casting soft shadows that highlight the sharpness of Draco’s cheekbones. His hair seems to almost shine in the light, the ends highlighted by the orange glow of the candles. 

He looks like he walked straight out of Harry’s fantasies. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, we made it to the date! I had big plans for today but the prompt REALLY threw me off. :D


	15. xv.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the date!!

“ - and that’s how we  _ almost _ got banned from The Leaky.”

Draco laughs, a full bodied laugh that has him holding onto the table for support. Harry beams proudly, he’s enjoying this sense of accomplishment he’s felt throughout the night anytime he’s made Draco laugh so freely. 

“Remind me never to let Weasley near any of the aged Odgen’s I have,” Draco says as he tries to catch his breath. 

Harry isn’t sure when three hours passed by, the candle on their table burning lower by the hour till the kind old witch who had served their food came by to swap it. By the time they finally leave they’re the only couple still seated as the restaurant staff starts packing up around them. Harry makes sure he leaves them a  _ very _ generous tip for their patience. 

“Would Scorpius still be up?” Harry asks as they pull on their coats. He misses the comforting warmth of the restaurant as they step out, the winter chill well and truly settled in the air. 

“Well, if Blaise values his life,” Draco states, there’s a charming flush on his cheeks because of the significant amount of wine they consumed, “Scorpius would have slept around his bedtime which was an hour ago.” 

Harry chuckles, he stuffs his hand in his coat pocket otherwise he’s scared he might reach out to hold Draco’s hand. They’re wandering aimlessly around the market now, the streets considerably less crowded than before.

“Does Blaise keep him often?” 

“Any chance he can get,” Draco smiles. “Blaise is adamant he won’t have any kids of his own so it’s his job to spoil Scorpius as much as he can.” 

Harry tries not to freeze as Draco suddenly winds his arm around his, so they’re tucked close together.

“I know I poke fun at him sometimes but Blaise truly was a godsend when Scorpius was born,” Draco continues, he’s being careful about continuing to look straight and not at Harry. “I had no idea how to take care of a newborn by myself.”

Harry tightens his hold on Draco’s arm, he knows not to interrupt as Draco goes on. 

“Astoria and I never had any pretenses about the reason behind our marriage. Our parents had decided our fate when we were little older than Scorpius is right now. I don’t begrudge her, you know?” He finally looks at Harry, the vulnerability in his eyes making Harry pause and pull him closer. 

“She had so many dreams, she talked about travelling all the time. So when the time came, six months after Scorpius was born and she broke down as she mourned her future, I couldn’t help it. I told her to leave, take her time,” Draco draws in a shaky breath. The street they’re on has emptied out, the wind picking up speed and making their scarves flutter around them. Above their heads the old Flourish & Blotts sign is making a creaking sound as it sways. 

“That was so brave of you,” Harry whispers, rubbing his hand up and down Draco’s arms to warm him up. 

Draco laughs, a choked up thing. “I was so scared, he was so tiny.” 

“Did she come back?” 

“She drops by now and then, frequent enough that Scorpius kind of remembers her.” 

“Didn’t your parents help at all?” 

“They weren’t too happy with the fact that their only child got divorced within a year of his marriage,” Draco rolls his eyes. “They couldn’t resist Scorpius’s charms for too long though, they’re a lot more involved now.” 

Harry scoffs, though he also gets it. He’s certain there’s no one in the world who can resist Scorpius. 

“I’m sorry for bringing all this up now, I didn't mean to dampen the mood,” Draco takes in a deep breath. “I really enjoyed tonight, Harry.” 

Harry bites down on his lip trying not to grin outright when Draco looks so serious. 

“I just needed to make sure you understand that Scorpius will always be my first priority,” Draco says. “There is  _ nothing  _ in the world more important than him.”

“Of course,I wouldn’t expect it any other way” Harry breaths, he reaches out to hold onto Draco’s hand. “I really enjoyed tonight, too, by the way.” 

“Thank you for understanding,” Draco whispers. Snow has started to fall around them, the flakes glinting in the street lights around them. There’s a perfectly formed snowflake caught on Draco’s eyelash. Harry reaches out slowly, he’s holding his breath as his fingers brush against Draco’s cheek. 

They move closer together, meeting in the middle. 

Under the bright streetlight, surrounded by swirling snow, they kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things got a little heavy but Draco's and Scorpius's story needed to come out bit by bit! Also, please ignore the weather I know it's all over the place. *hides*


	16. xvi.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a dinner party!

Draco’s flat is located quite a way from Harry’s, in one of the newer wizarding districts that had popped up after the war. Despite his best efforts he’s running late, jogging up the stairs rather than waiting for the lift to come back down. 

He takes a moment to fix his hair, trying to catch his breath. He hopes he doesn’t look like too much of a sweaty mess as he wipes the sleeve of his sweater across the back of his neck. 

With a deep inhale he shrugs back his shoulders and knocks. 

Almost instantly he can hear the sound of little feet running through the flat, the door handle jiggling as someone tries to tug it open. 

“Papa, help,” he hears Scorpius whine from the other side of the door. 

Within seconds the door opens, Draco standing before him with a bemused smile. Scorpius peeks from behind him, his face lighting up on spotting Harry. 

“Harry!” 

Harry bends just in time to catch the little ball of energy that shoots towards him, the boy shrieking in delight as he’s lifted up. 

“Hi,” Draco says, leaning against the door frame. The fond expression on his face makes a warmth bloom in Harry. Draco shifts back a little to let Harry pass but not before brushing a quick kiss against his cheek. 

It’s new, this shifting dynamic between them. There are still moments where Harry feels unsettled by the new equation, unsure where the boundaries lie and how things are defined. What grounds him though is the realisation that after a very long time he feels settled in himself, with the people around him. 

Not to mention that pretty flush that climbs up Draco’s neck when he’s overwhelmed with emotions is worth it all. 

Draco’s flat is a modest two-bedroom with the new-flat feel that recently constructed places have. It’s a cosy space, the tastefully decorated tree lighting up the living room. It’s only when Harry steps closer to it, carefully depositing Scorpius on the sofa, that he notices the abundance of baubles and tinsel hanging from the lower branches. 

At the perfect height for a five year old. 

“Look,” Scorpius points shyly towards a sheet of paper lying on the glass table in front of them. “It’s for you, Harry.” 

It takes Harry a moment to figure out what he’s looking at, turning it this way and that. He finally sports the lightning bolt, drawn all the way across the face of the figure on the page and realisation hits him. 

“It’s for me?” He asks, taking in Scorpius’s version of him. 

Scorpius nods, swinging his little legs against the sofa. 

“Thank you,” Harry says, he reverently rolls up the paper so it doesn’t crease and places it in his bag. As he’s tucking the drawing in carefully he notices the gift he’d stashed there earlier. 

Scorpius has already run back into his room, leaving Harry alone to seek Draco in the kitchen. 

“This is for you,” he holds out the bottle of wine he’d picked up on his way. “I won’t pretend to be very knowledgeable in wines but Hermione loves it.” 

Draco chuckles. “Thank you,” he says, placing the bottle on a kitchen island. “I definitely know my way around wines and this is a good choice.” 

Harry mentally breathes a sigh of relief, it had been a little nerve wracking to decide what gift to take with him. 

“So, who else is going to be joining us tonight?” 

Draco hums as he passes Harry a stack of plates to carry. 

“Blaise should be here soon with his date and I believe Pansy mentioned she would be making an appearance as well, you never really know with her,” he chuckles, directing Harry on where to place the plates. 

The table is almost entirely set, festive red crochet cosies already in place for the main dishes. There are tea lights set around the table, with a string of warm hued fairy lights winding around the plates and centerpieces. There’s even a pretty brass candle holder in the shape of a stage. 

Blaise arrives soon after in a swirl of green flames from the Floo. He steps out of the fireplace in style, soot neatly brushing off of his coat without leaving a trace behind. He steps aside to wait for his partner, Harry watching on in surprise as Neville steps out. 

“Neville?” 

“Oh, Harry,” Neville says, allowing Blaise to help him with his coat. “Good to see you, mate.” 

As Blaise greets Draco and eagerly calls out for Scorpius, Harry tugs Neville slightly to the side so they can talk. 

“So, you and Zabbini, eh?” 

Neville smiles bashfully, he shoots Blaise a fond look, watching on as he matches Scorpius’s enthusiasm in volume. 

“It’s very new,” he says quietly. “We’ve been working together for a while and just, one thing led to another.” 

Harry takes in his friend, the excitement in his eyes and the way he can’t stop sneaking peeks at Blaise. He hasn’t seen Neville this besotted since he broke up with Susan over a year ago. He feels a rush of gratitude towards Blaise for bringing out this side of Neville after it had been missing for so long. 

Dinner is a fun affair, Blaise Zabbini certainly lives up to the rumors of his sociable nature. Conversation flows freely, even Draco and Neville slowly warming up to each other though they often rely on Harry or Blaise to lead the chatter. 

Pansy Parkinson makes an appearance as the main course is swapped out for desert, a plate of iced sugar cookies taking pride of place in the center. She doesn’t stay long, heading out around the time Scorpius starts slumping a little in his chair. 

As Harry helps Blaise clear the table Draco tries to subtly nudge a reluctant Scorpius to bed. The adults hang around for a while after, sharing the bottle of wine Harry had brought. Harry’s comfortable, sitting across from Neville and Blaise, with his arm around Draco’s shoulder. 

Once back home Harry slowly goes through the motions of getting ready for bed, the warm comfort of the night making his limbs feel heavy. There’s just one last thing to do before he can finally slip under the blankets. 

He carefully brings out Scorpius’s gift from his bag and heads to the kitchen. After spending some time trying to decide on the perfect place to display it he uses a mild sticking charm to get it onto the refrigerator. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So tired ~ I hope everyone is having a great week!


	17. xvii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas morning!

Christmas arrives with a fresh dusting of snow, the streets covered in a smooth and uninterrupted layer. Harry enjoys the chance to sleep in, finally rousing when the tempting smell of freshly brewed coffee is almost impossible to ignore. 

Kreacher seems to be in a good mood, regaling Harry with tales of the neighbours as he serves a surprisingly luxurious breakfast spread. Harry finds himself getting lost in thought anytime he spots the drawing on the fridge, wondering what Draco and Scorpius are up to. 

The Burrow is packed, the wave of chatter from around the house comfortingly familiar. As Harry heads to the kitchen to refresh his mug of eggnog he marvels at the stack of gifts under the tree this year. It’s a sizable pile, tastefully wrapped in a collection of festive wrapping paper in red and gold. He knows for a fact it’s not even  _ half _ of the entire collection of gifts. 

Standing against the kitchen door he takes a moment to observe everyone in front of him. Unbidden, the scene in front of him shifts to include a tiny boy with a head of messy blonde hair fitting right in with Victorie and the other Weasley grandchildren. 

He can also imagine Draco standing by the fireplace, in conversation with Ron even as he keeps an eye out for Harry, a soft smile gracing his face when their eyes would finally meet. 

He blinks and the scene shifts back, leaving Harry slightly shaken in its wake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super short chapter today, sorry! I was _ridiculously_ busy ugh.


	18. xviii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life gets a little stirred up.

Things go pretty great for a while, life running so smooth that Harry has to pinch himself sometimes to make sure he isn't dreaming. 

Of course, as these things go, that’s when life gets stirred up a little. 

It starts innocently enough on a Friday, Harry just wrapping up his third meeting of the morning. This week ended up surprisingly packed, a slew of last minute meetings suddenly appearing on his calendar. Consequently he hasn’t been able to meet up with Draco for the last few days, short notes exchanged via owls their only form of contact. 

Which is why he’s surprised to spot Draco on his floor in the Ministry. He’s still a short distance away, engaged in conversation with an Auror. Harry speeds up a little, brow furrowed as he tries not to consider the scenarios that might have led the other to be in contact with the enforcement. 

Draco catches sight of him soon, he gives Harry a tense look and a discrete shake of head. Harry slows down, lingering by the water cooler as he waits for Draco to wrap up his conversation. It takes another for minutes to Draco to finally shake hands with the auror, a few more words exchanged before they part. Harry watches, worried, as Draco visibly sags once he’s alone. 

“Hey,” Harry says softly, he subconsciously angles himself in front of Draco, trying to shield him from view of everyone else on the floor. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, Harry,” Draco breathes, his mouth downturned in a frown. “Someone vandalised the store last night.” 

Harry stares, shocked. “What? Did anyone get hurt?” 

“No, thankfully no one was in the store at the time,” Draco runs a shaky hand through his hair. “I’ll have to replace most of my stock though.” 

“I’m so sorry, Draco,” Harry reaches out to hold Draco’s hand. “Tell me how I can help, please.” 

“I just want to get out of here for now, I’ve never been a huge fan of the Ministry,” he says with a wry smile. 

“We can definitely do that. I’ll meet you by the lifts in a minute, okay?” 

At Draco’s nod he brushes a quick kiss against his cheek before rushing away to dump his files on his desk while grabbing his bag. 

❄❄❄

An hour later finds them seated in a restaurant in Diagon, half the tables are empty thanks to the hour as most of their regular patrons are still at work. This allows them a semblance of privacy as they grab a table towards the back corner, a large parlor palm further blocking them from view. 

As they went through a surprising number of cups of mulled wine, the restaurant’s specialty, Harry has watched Draco go from despair to anger, the effect somewhat dulled in intensity thanks to the alcohol. There's a pile of empty cups in front of them, the wine long gone with only the cinnamon and star anise left behind. 

“- I’m gonna show them,” Draco rants, waving a fist in the air. “They can’t scare me off, okay?” 

Harry nods hurriedly, subtly pulling Draco’s half empty mug away. 

“I’ve done my time, Harry,” Draco says, urgently pulling Harry towards him through his sleeve. “You know that right?”

“I do, yes,” Harry gently frees Draco’s hold on his sleeve and instead holds onto his hand. “You have nothing to hide.”

As Daco continues his well-justified rant, bright spots of colour high on his cheeks, Harry watches on attentively. 

He knows two things for certain now. 

The first is that he’s going to do whatever he possibly can to help Draco. 

The second, he knows now with startling clarity that there’s very little he wouldn’t do for Draco. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looked up indoor plants in the UK and the palm showed up so I went with it. Though I do wonder that maybe in the magical world any plant can survive because _magic_. Or not. Hmm.


	19. xix.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are moving along!

“Thank you, Auror Finchley,” Harry says, gathering his documents as they wrap up the conversation. Finchley is a seasoned Auror, his tall figure making for an impressive first impression. It’s only when you start talking to him that you realise how welcoming he actually is. 

He had replied to Harry’s request for a meeting quite promptly, open to discussing what info he was allowed to. What was apparent after the hour they spent talking was that the Ministry was treating the issue quite seriously. The fact that they’d assigned the case to Finchley, who dealt primarily with serious war-motivated crimes showed they clearly wanted to get to the root of this. 

Even though it had only been twenty four hours since the crime was committed, Finchely had a significantly thick folder of case facts. He also seemed quite certain that this was nothing more than a case of casual vandalism. 

“The fact that they could have easily attacked when only Malfoy and his son were in the store but didn’t is a big indicator that whoever it was just wanted to cause some damage but nothing too serious,” he had explained, waving around the cookie in his hand and showering Harry and all the documents with crumbs. “Nevertheless, I’ll be swinging by the store today to put up some of the best security charms we have as well as a few surveillance hexes so we can catch the miscreants if they swing by again.” 

Harry leaves the meeting slightly reassured but not fully confident. All he knows is that Draco is still shaken up by the event, to the extent that he’s decided not to bring Scorpius to the store till the perpetrators are caught. 

_ Scorpius _ . Harry can’t even begin to take stock of the sheer terror that courses through him at the thought of Scorpius unknowingly getting caught up in this, or, God forbid, getting harmed. 

His notes from the conversation in hand he heads towards Hermione’s office, he needs someone with a clear head to help him put his thoughts in order. 

❄❄❄

“Scorpius, be careful!”

The boy slows down slightly, pouting back at his father as he tries to tug him forward. 

“Papa, faster please?” 

Harry chuckles, he gives Draco’s arm a quick squeeze before leaning down to swiftly pick the child up. Scorpius laughs gleefully, kicking his feet a little before settling into Harry’s hold. He snuffles into Harry’s shoulder, one tiny fist having a tight hold on Harry’s collar. 

“You’re spoiling him,” Draco rolls his eyes fondly, “I just barely got him used to walking by himself.” 

“I don’t mind carrying him wherever he wants,” Harry says, he lightly bounces Scorpius, making him giggle. 

They’re out for a walk to enjoy the Holiday decorations, the London Eye decked entirely in pretty lights right in front of them. Draco had decided to keep the store closed for the week, even as Finchley’s team had set up a complicated ward of protective spells around it. 

After watching Draco spend a week worrying and even debating just closing the store entirely, Harry had decided on a whim that a night out is just what everyone needed. 

Scorpius is enamored by the lights, his eyes trained on the London Eye as it makes it turns slowly. Even Draco looks a little relaxed, Scorpius’s joy at being out infectious and hard to resist. 

They’re finally in line, tickets bought, when Draco stiffens in alarm. Before Harry can ask he discretely pulls his wand out of his pocket, the slim length of wood vibrating even as Draco tugs Harry out of the line. 

“What’s wrong?” Harry asks, tightening his hold on Scorpius. 

Draco looks shaky, peering around them for a secluded spot. 

“The wards on the store just went off.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I don't say it enough but genuinely, thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and commenting!


	20. xx

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things heat up just a little!

“Are you kidding me?” 

Harry watches on confused as Auror Finchely explains the happenings of the past hour. Draco listens on intently next to him, his brow furrowed as he stares at the culprits. 

Draco raises his hand, halting the Auror mid explanation. He points towards the 3 men,  _ boys _ , lined up against the display window. 

“Are you  _ kidding _ me? He repeats himself. 

“Well,” Finchley scratches his neck awkwardly. His entire team is loitering around behind him, ten well built Aurors ambling around Diagon. Harry thinks he can even spot two of them heading back from Fortescue’s with ice-cream’s in hand. Had it not involved Draco Harry’s sure he would have found the situation quite comedic from an external perspective. 

An entire team of seasoned Auror’s swooping down on Diagon only to be confronted with a group of - 

“ _ Teenagers _ !” Draco exclaims. “I can’t believe all this fuss was caused by a group of children.” 

“I’m seventeen you know,” one of the boys speaks up, his chest puffed up. The next instant he shrinks back into the glass when Draco shoots him a disgusted look. 

“Do your parents know you’re out this late?” Draco bites back. 

One of the boys whimpers, Harry can hear him whisper to the one next to him, “Do you think they’ll call my mom? She’ll kill me!” 

“Mr. Malfoy,” Finchely steps in, one hand raised to placate the irate man. “As I’d mentioned earlier, we were always a little doubtful about the intent of the attack. Rest assured, we’ll take it from here. Their parents have already been informed.” 

Draco huffs and rolls his eyes. “ _ Fine _ . They need to pay for all reparations though, as well as I need a detailed report on what punishments they get.” 

Harry finally has to step in to pull Draco away when even after ten minutes he’s going on about the kind of punishment he thinks they should receive. The seventeen year old seems like he'll start sobbing within the next minute. 

❄❄❄

"Unbelievable,” Draco mutters, tossing his coat onto the kitchen island. “I can’t believe this entire mess was caused by children, thinking it would be funny to bother the ex-Death Eater.” 

His hands are shaking, fumbling as he tries to loosen his scarf. 

“Let me,” Harry steps in, gently nudging Draco’s hand aside as he helps him unwrap his scarf. He drops the length of silk next to the coat and moves till he’s almost caging Draco against the counter. 

Draco sighs and lets his head fall forward onto Harry’s shoulder, each exhale brushing against Harry’s neck. 

Harry wraps an arm around Draco’s waist, the other reaching up to rub his back. 

“I’m so tired, Harry,” Draco sighs, melting against Harry. “I’ve been so worried for a week and for what.” 

"Anyone would be worried,” Harry says against his hair. “At least now you know you there’s nothing to worry about.” 

Draco’s silent for a moment till he whispers. “What about the next time?” 

“There won’t be a next time,” Harry says, frowning a little when he feels Draco shake his head. He pulls back, waiting till Draco makes eye contact. “I’m serious. The store is covered in Ministry level wards, we can do the same for your apartment I’m sure.” 

“It’s not just that,” Draco says. He takes a deep breath, plays with the buttons on Harry’s cardigan. “I’m always going to be the ex-Death Eater, and I’m okay with that because it’s a consequence of my actions. What kills me is that it’s a label that will transfer onto Scorpius as well.” 

“Listen to me,” Harry urges, gently cupping Draco’s cheek. “I can’t promise that there won’t be people acting out of prejudice. What I can do is try to ensure that people see you for the man you are now, that they understand what you mean to me. What Scorpius means to me.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“I can’t share all the details yet, but umm, how okay are you with people knowing about us?” Harry asks, biting his lip. 

“I don’t care who knows,” Draco frowns, confused. 

"Okay. Good,” Harry nods. “Just give me a few days then.”  “Say,” Harry suddenly speaks up, trying to change the topic before Draco can ask more questions. “How long can Blaise keep Scorpius for?” 

“He’s good for a few more hours. Why?” 

Harry smirks. In a move so smooth he surprises even himself, Harry gently holds onto Draco’s thin waist and lifts him up onto the counter. 

“Oh,” Draco breathes, his chest heaving as he looks down at Harry with wide eyes. 

Harry moves closer at the same time as Draco, their lips meeting with an urgency matched by the other. Draco starts leaning back onto the counter, pulling Harry with him, when his hand hits something and sends it clattering to the ground. 

“Ignore it,” Harry says while leaving kisses down Draco’s neck. 

“Harry! What if it was something important?” 

He groans, lightly nipping Draco’s shoulder before he moves away. He retrieves the fallen item with another groan, this time louder.

“It’s one of those ruddy christmas crackers Ron left behind,” he rolls his eyes. 

“Ooh,” Draco says, eagerly opening the wrapper. “I used to love these as a child! Scorpius got really scared by one last year so we didn’t have them this year.” 

The cracker spills open with a mild bang and a shower of sparks and out falls - 

“I’m gonna kill, Ron.”

“Oh wow.”

Harry watches, mortified, as Draco picks up the bottle of lube that fell out of the cracker. He can see there are other items still in the casing, his face flushing as he imagines what else there might be. 

“Enjoy a heightened experience with our new range of ultra-sensitive lubricant, guaranteed to deliver twice the amount of pleasure!” Draco gleefully reads the back of the bottle. 

Harry buries his face in Draco’s chest, moaning in embarrassment as Draco continues to read out from the back. 

“Are you done?” he asks in a voice muffled by Draco’s sweater. He goes willingly when Draco nudges his shoulder, eyeing the bottle in his hand with suspicion. 

“These are some really bold claims,” Draco muses. He turns the bottle over in his hands once before finally looking up at Harry with a slightly nervous expression. “We should test these out?”

Harry blinks and wets his lips, Draco’s eyes tracking his movement. 

“You’re right,” he whispers. “It makes sense to do so.” 

Draco nods in determination, his grip on Harry’s sweater tightening so he can bring him close enough to kiss. 

“We can send Weasley a  _ thorough _ review of his gift,” he chuckles.

With a laugh Harry tugs him closer, hooking his hands under Draco’s thighs till he’s carrying him. 

“Sounds like a plan.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't remember how to write smut so your imagination will need to suffice, I'm sorry! :')


	21. xxi.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's plan and the morning after!

Harry stretches under the covers, sliding towards the warmth radiating from his bed partner. Draco hums as Harry curls around him, arching into his hold till he can feel Harry’s firm chest against his back. 

"Good morning,” Harry mumbles, brushing a soft kiss against his nape. “What time do you have to go pick up Scorpius?” 

Harry sneaks in a hand under the shirt Draco had borrowed from him, skimming his fingers along with the lithe waist he all but memorized last night. 

“Not before nine,” Draco gasps. He turns in Harry’s hold, getting ready to spend the morning continuing from where they left off the night before. 

Their plans are interrupted by a knock on the window, both of them pulling apart to stare in that direction. A large barn owl peers at them, it’s beady eyes unblinking as it waits. 

“Ugh,” Harry groans, tossing the covers grumpily. He bites back a curse as his feet touch the cold floor. The owl hoots as it holds out it’s foot so Harry can unwrap the tightly rolled package. He offers it a few treats from the bowl he keeps near the window, rushing to close the window before all the wonderful heat inside can escape.

He jumps back into bed, Draco laughing and trying to get away from Harry’s cold feet. 

“What is it?” He asks, getting comfortable against the pillows. 

Harry opens the package, staring in muted shock as the latest edition of Witch Weekly falls onto his lap. His own face stares back at him, the bold letters plastered across the bottom hard to miss. 

> _ Exclusive Edition! For the first time ever, a look into the Chosen One’s humble abode!  _
> 
> A Witch Weekly exclusive, learn about Harry Potter’s decor choices, his go-to furnishing store as well as a little peek into his personal life! 

He watches on nervously as Draco picks up the magazine, shooting Harry a confused look at his continued silence. 

“Wait,” Draco says, he sits up straight and flips through the magazine. “Is this by any chance what you were talking about last night?”

Harry swallows, nodding against Draco’s shoulder. Draco pauses as he reaches the “article”, though calling it just an article seems insufficient since it takes up over eighty percent of the entire magazine. The main photo is a two page spread of Harry posing awkwardly in his bedroom, in front of the tiny Christmas tree and blanket stand decked in warm hued string lights. They'd shot the photo during the afternoon, the midday sun lending natural light to the space, making it appear cosy and welcoming. Draco hums in approval at the photo, relaxing into Harry's hold as Harry keenly tacks his reactions. 

The surprised gasp as he spots a shot of his store, the bashful smile when he sees a two page spread on Harry’s favorite decor pieces and almost all of them are from his store. It’s a heady feeling, being responsible for offering Draco these nuggets of happiness. 

He freezes when Draco reaches the page with the actual interview, he knows what’s coming up soon. Harry waits with bated breath as Draco reads, knowing exactly when he comes across the two paragraphs filled with Harry going on about how Draco has set an example for everyone and how proud of him he is. 

He hasn’t directly stated anything, too shy during the interview to put feelings into words, but it’s obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense what the emotions behind those words are. 

It’s as public a declaration as he could make. Harry isn’t sure if it’s enough or can actually do any good, but as he saw Draco grow more despondent by the day with the events of the last few weeks he had known without any shred of doubt that if there was a way he could use his name to make a difference, he would for Draco. 

He hopes it’s enough to sway opinion, to dissuade anyone else who might think it’s funny to bother Draco just because of his past misdeeds. He wants to show the world that it’s possible to right your wrongs, to attone and move on. 

Everyone deserves a second chance. Especially this stunning, wonderful man in his arms who has worked so hard to rebuild himself. 

“You silly, Gryffindor, I thought you meant telling our friends,” Draco chokes out a laugh. “Not the entire world.”

“I don’t think With Weekly is  _ that _ popular,” Harry says, laughing as Draco reaches back to swat him on the head. “Be honest, is it a lot? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Draco shakes his head, turning around till he’s facing Harry. 

“It’s spontaneous and honest. It’s you. How could that ever make me uncomfortable.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right-o, I hope that made sense!! 
> 
> ALSO! I've reached the end of my imagination so for the remaining four chapters I'm open to requests for any scene you might want to see between Harry, Draco and Scorpius! ♥


	22. xxii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Scorpius was confused and one times he wasn't!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loosely based on a prompt by Orlando_Switch! (I kinda glossed over everyone's reactions instead of going into too much detail!)

Scorpius laughs as he tries to run through the snow, stumbling slightly but managing to right himself in the last minute. He’s not fast enough though, Harry catching up to him soon enough and swooping him up. 

“Harry!,” Scorpius shouts, squirming as he tries to get away from him.

“Got you, you little monster,” Harry says with a laugh. He makes sure to hold Scorpius properly before they start the trek back towards Draco. 

Hogsmeade in the winter is a sight to behold. The streets lined with snow, paths carved into it by the foot-fall throughout the day. As night falls a fresh dusting snow drifts through the air, covering everything in sight. 

They’d decided to bring Scorpius on a trip to Hogsmeade on a whim, both of them wanting an escape from the city and the media circus that hadn’t let up even though it had been a week since the Witch Weekly article. 

Harry truly hadn’t anticipated the widespread attention that article would receive, letter after letter pouring in with support, advice, criticism and speculations. After the first hour he’d stopped attempting to read them and let them all go directly into the fireplace. 

The only letters he’d paid any attention to were those from his friends, the support overwhelmingly positive. Harry had been awed at how easily people he knew were taking this in stride.

Draco’s friends too had been equally supportive, Blaise sending them a gift basket filled with a variety of alcohol and a number of gifts catered more towards certain  _ adult _ activities. That had been a struggle to hide quickly from Scorpius who found all manner of gift wrappings really fascinating, much to Draco’s chagrin. 

The only blight in their otherwise good mood had been the letter from the Malfoys. While Harry hadn’t had a chance to see the contents of that letter for himself, Draco’s somber mood after and the strength of the shredding charm he’d cast on it had been indicator enough. 

Another source of stress had been the media attention, from the most obscure publication to the Daily Prophet, each wanted an exclusive tidbit or a piece of inside information on the couple. When Harry had ignored all their owls they’d taken to stalking his apartment. That had ended soon enough though when Kreacher had gotten fed up with them crowding the sidewalk and keeping him from spying on the neighbours people-watching. 

Harry has to admit, while he old elf wasn’t as fast as he used to be, his aim was still impeccable. 

So the media circus had moved to Draco’s store, the Ministry entrance, even trying the Burrow though Mrs. Weasley had taken care of that. 

Which brings them to now, the three of them standing under a comfortable warmth charm, waiting for the exact moment when - 

“Wow,” Scorpus gasps, his eyes twinkling.

Draco wraps an arm around Harry, leaning against him as they take in the scene in front of them. One by one the lights inside the houses switch on, the illuminated windows little spots of brightness through the snow flurries. It’s a mesmerising sight, reminding Harry of the first time he got to witness it. 

He’s so grateful that he can share this moment with two people who mean so much to him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and commenting!


	23. xxiii.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little sneak peek into their future!
> 
> Thank you Orlando_Switch for your prompts! ♥

_ Christmas Eve, a year later  _

In hindsight maybe deciding to go ice-skating right before Christmas was a mistake. Harry watches on nervously as Scorpius skates around the massive tree in the center of the rink. He’s smiling, the tassels on his red knit cap, a gift from Molly, swinging as he swerves smoothly around all the other skaters. 

Scorpius at six is a brighter, more inquisitive child than he was at five. He has questions about anything and everything, While Draco might act exasperated with his unending eagerness to learn, Harry knows that he actually loves it. As does Harry. 

In moments much like this one, Harry watching his family full of joy and free of any worries, he’s blown away by just how much his life changed for the better in the past year. 

“Harry,” Scorpius calls out, before speeding up to where Harry is standing at the boundary of the rink. “Aren’t you going to come in?” 

“I like having no broken bones,” Harry reaches out to fix Scorpius’s cap, “Molly would be quite unhappy if we can’t make it to Christmas lunch tomorrow.” 

“Will Kreacher come with us?” 

“No,” Harry says, a little too fast judging by Scorpius’s downtrodden expression. “Think of all the neighbourhood gossip he’d miss if he wasn’t home on Christmas day,” he adds on with a grimace.

Scorpius brightens up at that. “That’s true! We’ll just have to bring him some cake then.” 

Harry tries not to groan out loud, grateful that Draco swoops in at that moment and ushers Scorpius back onto the ice. 

After months of sleeping over and the guest bedroom at his house all but converted into a room for Scorpius, Harry had officially asked Draco to move in. It had taken him weeks of agonizing and dozens of pep talks from Ron and Hermione before he’d been able to ask Draco, but the look on his face and his answer had been worth it. 

A consequence of them moving, that Harry would never have been able to foresee, was Kreacher’s fondness for Scorpius and vice versa. Harry had been beyond confused the first time he’d come across Scorpius seated next to Kreacher in front of the window, both of them staring intently at the people walking by. 

Draco thought it was hilarious. He was also convinced it was harmless. A few days spent observing the unlikely duo had shown Harry that it was indeed not as alarming as he’d first thought it was. Kreacher, despite his bare minimum tolerance for Harry though he was doing better at being more cordial since Draco had moved in, had a soft spot for Scorpius. Whether due to his Malfoy heritage or because of Scorpius's natural charm, Kreacher would often go out of his way to make sure the boy was comfortable and well taken care of. He’d even accompany Draco to the store sometimes, keeping an eye on Scorpius when the child didn’t want to be too far away from his Papa. 

❄❄❄

Christmas lunch at The Burrow is much like the years before. 

The house is packed, the many voices overlapping to create a euphony that is familiar in its volume. Harry  _ still _ marvels at the sizable stack of gifts under the tree, spotting his own contributions wrapped in startling blue paper, Scorpius’s pick. 

He once again stands against the kitchen door, nursing a mug of hot chocolate as he takes in the scene in front of him. It’s an image that could almost be confused for memory, if not for the new additions to the room. 

Seated next to Victorie is a little boy with a head of messy blonde hair, his glasses slipping down his nose as he jumps in joy. Harry can spot a new chocolate frog card clenched tightly in his hand and knows he’ll definitely get a play by play of the find later. 

He can’t wait. 

And there, standing by the fireplace, Draco is in the middle of a heated conversation with Ron. Yet, almost as if he feels Harry’s gaze on him, Draco looks up. A soft smile gracing his face when their eyes meet. 

Here, in this mix of the familiar and the new, Harry feels certain this the first of the  _ many _ best Christmas days to come. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost at the end! Just 2 more chapters, wow! If there's anything you'd like to see, feel free to drop it in the comments and I can try to somehow fit those in!


	24. xxiv.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Christmas shenanigans.

“Harry.”

Harry doesn’t stir, lost in slumber. 

“Harry,” Draco tries again with an accompanying nudge to Harry’s shoulder. 

Harry groans, sliding away from the pointy finger jabbing into his shoulder. Draco muffles his laugh and tries again, this time with a harder shove. 

“Harry!”

“Huh,” Harry whines, blinking awake. 

“I just heard Scorpius sneak to the living room.”

“Oh,” Harry sits up, wide awake. “I’m late!”

Draco chuckles as he gets comfortable under the covers. 

“I still don’t think you need to do this,” he says, looking so cosy and inviting with the blankets pulled up to his face. Harry is so tempted to join him but he has a  _ plan _ and a promise to Scorpius he intends to keep. 

Draco watches, amused, as Harry struggles to get into the Santa outfit he had borrowed from Arthur. It’s old, the fabric slightly faded in patches, a testament to the years of use and the number of children it gave joy to. 

This entire spectacle started a week ago, when Scorpius had asked if Santa was going to steal his toys. Confused, Harry and Draco had asked him why he thought so. Turns out, a boy from his kindergarten, where he’d started attending a few months ago, had fed him a story about how Santa was actually this really scary man who sneaks into your house and steals all your toys. 

Their reactions to the situation had been slightly different, to say the least. 

Draco had opted to talk to Scorpius. He had tried to convince him that this was nothing but a load of old tosh and Santa’s job in fact is to share toys with all the good boys and girls in the world. (It was understood that the boy spreading false stories wouldn’t be amongst those good boys and girls but Harry managed to stop Draco from saying that out loud.) 

When that hadn’t seemed to work as well as Draco had imagined it would, Harry decided to step in. He felt a more practical approach was needed. 

Which leads him to right now, tiptoeing into the living room, costume on and illusion charm in place. 

Scorpius is curled on the sofa, around his favorite stuffed penguin. Harry feels a rush of warmth at sight. Despite being scared of Santa, the brave little boy decided to keep watch so his toys don’t get stolen. 

As Harry had hoped Scorpius isn’t wearing his glasses. He slowly shuffles into view, carrying a pile of gifts in his arms. 

Scorpius stirs as Harry is placing those gifts under the tree, blinking sleep heavy eyes and clutching tighter onto the penguin. 

“Are you really Santa?” he slurs, resisting the pull of sleep.

Harry stumbles, he hadn’t really planned on talking to Scorpius. His plan only extended to showing Scorpius he wasn’t stealing his gifts. 

“Err, yes,” he says. He stands up too fast and knocks into the tree, almost bringing it down. 

Scorpius giggles. The next second he’s frowning, glaring at Harry through narrowed eyes, “Are you stealing my toys?” 

Harry shakes his head. “No, no, look,” he points towards the gifts he just added to the pile. “You were such a good boy this year so you get more presents from me!” 

Scorpius studies the stacked presents carefully. As Harry starts to fidget he finally nods, looking pleased. 

“Papa was right!” He exclaims. “Thank you!”

Harry breathes out a sigh of relief. 

“Do my Papa and Harry also get gifts?” Scorpius suddenly asks, looking thoughtful. “Papa was a very good papa and,” he sits up eagerly with a smile, tiny dimples ever present, “and Harry was also a very good, umm,  _ Harry _ .”

Harry hears Draco snort. He looks around, confused, and spots him listening in from the hallway. 

“They will definitely get presents too,” Harry assures Scorpius. As the child yawns once again, Harry decides this has gone on long enough. 

“Isn’t it past your bedtime, young man?” He asks, trying to sound like a responsible patron of Christmas. 

Scorpius nods, too sleepy to argue against his bedtime like he normally does. Harry watches him slowly climb off the sofa and toddle off towards his bedroom. 

Task accomplished, Harry heads back to their bedroom. He takes his time changing back into his pyjamas, he knows Draco will only head back to bed once Scorpius is all tucked in and drifting off to sleep. 

He’s just climbed under the covers when Draco enters. Harry keeps his eyes on him as he turns down the lights, fixes the curtains and only then joins him on the bed. He immediately curls closer to Harry, tugging him towards him with a hand on his sleeve. Before Harry can react Draco is kissing him, a long drawn out kiss that makes Harry feel like he’s melting into the bed. 

When Draco finally moves back, his cheeks are flushed, eyes sparkling as he breathes, “Thank you,” against Harry’s lips. 

“For what?” Harry whispers back, he fears if he’s any louder this delicate moment between them would shatter. 

Draco beams. “For doing all of  _ that _ ,” he says. “For loving Scorpius like you do.” 

“Oh,” Harry feels his cheeks heat up. “It would be honestly kind of hard not to love that kid, are you sure he doesn’t have any Veela blood in him?” 

“Nope,” Draco laughs, falling back onto his pillow. “He’s a Malfoy through and through.” 

Harry reaches out to tuck a strand of Draco’s hair behind his ear, running his fingers down the curve of his ear to brush tenderly against his cheek. 

“Makes sense then, I’m a sucker for Malfoy’s.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have NO idea what this is, omg. I just saw the prompt and this is what my brain came up with.
> 
> Last chapter tomorrow! ♥


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Scorpius Malfoy decided to take charge.

Harry nods along in agreement to whatever Ron is saying. He would feel bad for not paying attention to his friend but he’s heard the tirade against the unwarranted discontinuation of free cookies in the cafeteria at least three times already. 

Besides, he has other, more pressing matters on his mind tonight. 

Draco looks radiant tonight, not a hair out of place. Looking at him, no one but Harry and Scorpius would be able to guess the nervous mess he was in the past few days. Draco took hosting a Christmas party  _ very _ seriously. 

Meeting the Malfoy’s for lunch that very day probably hadn’t helped. While they weren’t as outwardly hostile as they were once, having had a year to get used to the fact that their son was in a happy relationship with another man, they were far from being warm. Draco assured Harry that their very  _ formal _ behavior was also a form of approval. 

Watching Draco socialise is so distracting, he’s in his element here. Catching up with everyone, smiling throughout, he’s a sight Harry can’t look away from. Without releasing it Harry’s hand reaches into his pocket to hold onto the velvet box he’d hid there earlier that evening. 

He’d bought the ring over a year ago. It had been unplanned, he'd been out with Ron when they had passed by a jewellery store and Harry had felt compelled to walk in. The ring had caught his eye instantly and without caring for the price he’d purchased it then and there. 

Since then, for months, he’s been hiding the ring in the pocket of an old coat. Time to time he takes it out, ready to ask Draco that one question but each time he loses his nerve and the ring goes right back into that pocket. 

Not tonight, though. 

Tonight, Harry has a plan. He’s ready. As soon as the last course is served, he’s going to get down on one knee and pop the question. 

At least that  _ was _ the plan. However, looking at Draco now Harry feels himself start to lose nerve again. What if Draco says no in front of everyone? What if it’s too soon? 

“Harry?”

Harry startles, blinking in confusion at the sight of Draco standing in front of him. He looks slightly concerned, one hand reaching out to lightly fix Harry’s frames, much like he does for Scorpius. 

Harry feels his pulse settle, his earlier nervousness vanishing as he takes in the man in front of him. From his perfectly styled hair to the sweater that was a gift from Harry, he’s everything Harry could have asked for. He feels silly for being scared. 

“Mistletoe,” Draco says, pointing upwards with a sheepish smile. 

Harry looks up and sure enough, there’s a sprig of mistletoe wrapped in a festive red ribbon hanging right above them. 

Somewhere in the room Blaise cheers, Harry can hear Hermione shushing him. 

As Draco leans closer Harry feels the rest of the room melt away, the centre of his entire focus is only Draco. They kiss briefly, yet it feels like an entire eternity. As they move apart, Harry's arm around Draco's waist to hold him close, it's only the thought of most of their friends being in the room with them that keeps Harry from leaning back in. 

He suddenly realises he wants to propose, right now, in this moment and starts reaching for the ring when - 

"Marry me."

Harry blinks, stunned. 

"I'm sorry?"

Draco smiles, a shy little thing. 

"Marry me, Harry Potter?"

"No."

"What?" Draco asks, he looks scared and Harry feels horrible. 

"No, I mean," Harry stammers, "I have a ring!" He pulls the box out from his pocket, the other arm holding tighter onto Draco lest he tries to get away. 

Draco looks stunned. He laughs wetly, reaching up to wipe away the tears. 

"Ask me then. I promise I won't say no."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're done! 
> 
> A huge thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone that read and commented - wether it was just once or on every chapter! You kept me motivated to keep going even when it felt really exhausting to write a chapter every single day. ♥ Sincerely, thank you! 
> 
> The story ends here for now. I might add a vignette or two soon because there are still some prompts and scenarios I feel I want to touch upon. If there's _still_ anything else you'd like to see, feel free to drop it in the comments! 
> 
> Happy Holidays everyone! I hope 2021 is filled with nothing but joy and good health for all! ♥


End file.
